Downhill World Cup Lošinj – Results
Round one of 2018 World Cup downhill racing is in the books. Here's who came out on top
Aaron Gwin picked up the 2018 season with the same searing pace he ended the 2017 World Cup season with. YT Mob’s downhill star won the Lošinj, Croatia round by eight tenths of a second over fellow American Luca Shaw (Santa Cruz Syndicate). The first race of the year is always unpredictable and, while Gwin showed he’s as reliable as ever, some big names in downhill were bumped further down the results sheet. Intense Factory Racing’s Dean Lucas jumped up the ranks to finish third, while Sam Blenkinsop rode Norco’s new Arum HSP downhill bike, officially unveiled at Sea Otter the same weekend. A fifth place for Dakotah Norton (Unior / Devinci Factory Racing) made for three American’s on the first World Cup of the season.
Mark Wallace (Canyon Factory Racing) was the top ranked Canadian in elite Men, finishing 23rd, while Magnus Manson, hot off a win at the Port Angeles, Washington round of Pro GRT series racing, finished 30th, his best elite World Cup placing to date.
On the Women’s side Myriam Nicole (Commencal Vallnord) claimed a huge 3.5 second win over Trek Factory Racing’s Rachel Atherton, with Tahnee Seagrave (Transition Bikes / Muc-Off Factory Racing) less than a second behind in third. The trio came into the weekend as favourites, and showed that they’re still ahead of much of the growing Women’s elite field, even if it’s not by nearly as much as in past season. Marine Cabirou (Voulvoul Racing) finished fourth in Lošinj, her best result so far in the elite Women’s ranks.
One of the big stories of the weekend is surely Cécile Ravanel. The French enduro star has been dominant on the Enduro World Series for the last several seasons and made the decision to make a partial switch to race World Cup downhill events for 2018. Ravanel placed 10th at Val di Sole World Cup last season, her only World Cup appearance, but has spent much more time on her downhill bike over the winter. The extra time on the bike showed, and Ravanel claimed the final podium spot in downtown Lošinj. She will now have to decide whether to race in Olargues, France to defend her overall title in the EWS, she leads the sereis after two rounds in South America, or try to improve on her performance in Croatia.
Canada’s Miranda Miller, defending UCI downhill world champion, didn’t have a great opening weekend in Lošinj. The Specialized Factory Racing rider flatted in her qualifying run, and placed 11th on race day. The Squamish, B.C. racer will have to face down some deamons when the series resumes at Fort William, Soctland on June 2nd, a venue where she’s had less than perfect luck in the past.
Canadian junior Lucas Cruz moved up one spot from his fifth place qualifying run on Saturday. The two time Canadian U17 national champion placed an impressive fourth in his first World Cup event racing in the junior category. Whistler’s Finn Iles has been one of the biggest names in the fiercely competitive junior category for the last several years, but graduated to elite racing for 2018’s downhill season. Cruz’s fourth place should reassure Canadian downhill fans that the country will continue to be well represented in the junior field.
In the junior Women’s race, Valentina Höll won with a blistering fast time of 2:50.093. YT Industries young Austrian phenom’s race run wasn’t just on pace to win the junior category. Höll’s time would have put her 6th in elite Women, just two seconds off Ravanel for the last spot on the podium.
Elite Men’s results – Downhill World Cup Lošinj, Croatia
Place | Plate # | Racer |
Country
|
Team | Age | Time | ||
1 | 1 | GWIN Aaron |
USA
|
THE YT MOB | 31 | 00:02:19.193 | ||
2 | 13 | SHAW Luca |
USA
|
SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE | 22 | 00:02:19.991 | ||
3 | 16 | LUCAS Dean |
AUS
|
INTENSE FACTORY RACING | 23 | 00:02:20.328 | ||
4 | 19 | BLENKINSOP Samuel |
NZL
|
NORCO FACTORY RACING | 30 | 00:02:21.107 | ||
5 | 34 | NORTON Dakotah |
USA
|
UNIOR/DEVINCI FACTORY RACING | 26 | 00:02:21.821 | ||
6 | 7 | MOIR Jack |
AUS
|
INTENSE FACTORY RACING | 24 | 00:02:22.081 | ||
7 | 9 | GREENLAND Laurie |
GBR
|
MS MONDRAKER TEAM | 21 | 00:02:22.191 | ||
8 | 5 | VERGIER Loris |
FRA
|
SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE | 22 | 00:02:22.271 | ||
9 | 2 | BROSNAN Troy |
AUS
|
CANYON FACTORY DOWNHILL TEAM | 25 | 00:02:22.404 | ||
10 | 6 | HART Danny |
GBR
|
MADISON SARACEN FACTORY TEAM | 27 | 00:02:22.965 | ||
11 | 32 | PAYET Florent |
FRA
|
VOULVOUL RACING | 32 | 00:02:23.026 | ||
12 | 45 | MULALLY Neko |
USA
|
THE YT MOB | 25 | 00:02:23.616 | ||
13 | 3 | MINNAAR Greg |
RSA
|
SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE | 37 | 00:02:23.663 | ||
14 | 20 | HARRISON Charlie |
USA
|
INTENSE FACTORY RACING | 21 | 00:02:24.696 | ||
15 | 41 | SMITH Joseph |
GBR
|
NORCO FACTORY RACING | 28 | 00:02:24.874 | ||
16 | 12 | GUTIERREZ VILLEGAS Marcelo |
COL
|
GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM | 28 | 00:02:24.994 | ||
17 | 58 | THIRION Rémi |
FRA
|
COMMENCAL / VALLNORD | 28 | 00:02:25.012 | ||
18 | 29 | WILLIAMSON Greg |
GBR
|
UNNO FACTORY RACING | 26 | 00:02:25.171 | ||
19 | 43 | ATHERTON Gee |
GBR
|
TREK FACTORY RACING DH | 33 | 00:02:25.273 | ||
20 | 97 | KOLB Andreas |
AUT
|
22 | 00:02:25.597 | |||
21 | 11 | PIERRON Amaury |
FRA
|
COMMENCAL / VALLNORD | 22 | 00:02:25.720 | ||
22 | 18 | BRAYTON Adam |
GBR
|
HOPE TECHNOLOGY | 30 | 00:02:26.018 | ||
23 | 8 | WALLACE Mark |
CAN
|
CANYON FACTORY DOWNHILL TEAM | 23 | 00:02:26.045 | ||
24 | 31 | COULANGES Benoit |
FRA
|
DORVAL AM | 24 | 00:02:26.684 | ||
25 | 78 | CARBALLO GONZALEZ Edgar |
ESP
|
30 | 00:02:26.989 | |||
26 | 35 | FAIRCLOUGH Brendan |
GBR
|
SCOTT VELOSOLUTIONS | 30 | 00:02:26.998 | ||
27 | 22 | FEARON Connor |
AUS
|
KONA FACTORY TEAM | 24 | 00:02:27.027 | ||
28 | 37 | FIGARET Faustin |
FRA
|
RADON FACTORY DH RACING | 25 | 00:02:27.247 | ||
29 | 40 | MASTERS Edward |
NZL
|
PIVOT FACTORY RACING | 29 | 00:02:27.737 | ||
30 | 79 | MANSON Magnus |
CAN
|
20 | 00:02:27.829 | |||
31 | 14 | ŽABJEK Jure |
SLO
|
UNIOR/DEVINCI FACTORY RACING | 23 | 00:02:27.893 | ||
32 | 88 | DICKERSON Bryn |
NZL
|
FS FUNN | 27 | 00:02:27.959 | ||
33 | 91 | FREW Jackson |
AUS
|
20 | 00:02:28.122 | |||
34 | 84 | VAUH Miran |
SLO
|
36 | 00:02:28.203 | |||
35 | 38 | REVELLI Loris |
ITA
|
AB DEVINCI ITALY | 21 | 00:02:28.391 | ||
36 | 96 | SEAGRAVE Kaos |
GBR
|
TRANSITION BIKES / MUC-OFF FACTORY RACING | 19 | 00:02:28.522 | ||
37 | 56 | NIEDERBERGER Noel |
SUI
|
HIAG DATA – NS-BIKES FACTORY RACING | 23 | 00:02:28.753 | ||
38 | 26 | HATTON Charlie |
GBR
|
TREK FACTORY RACING DH | 20 | 00:02:29.011 | ||
39 | 30 | VERNON Taylor |
GBR
|
UNNO FACTORY RACING | 22 | 00:02:29.022 | ||
40 | 110 | DIPASQUALE Charly |
FRA
|
28 | 00:02:29.999 |
Elite Women’s results – Downhill World Cup Lošinj, Croatia
Place | Plate # | Racer |
Country
|
Team | Age | Time | ||
1 | 1 | NICOLE Myriam |
FRA
|
COMMENCAL / VALLNORD | 28 | 00:02:40.706 | ||
2 | 4 | ATHERTON Rachel |
GBR
|
TREK FACTORY RACING DH | 31 | 00:02:44.265 | ||
3 | 2 | SEAGRAVE Tahnee |
GBR
|
TRANSITION BIKES / MUC-OFF FACTORY RACING | 23 | 00:02:44.484 | ||
4 | 8 | CABIROU Marine |
FRA
|
VOULVOUL RACING | 21 | 00:02:45.935 | ||
5 | 28 | RAVANEL Cécile |
FRA
|
37 | 00:02:48.416 | |||
6 | 14 | HRASTNIK Monika |
SLO
|
24 | 00:02:53.635 | |||
7 | 5 | SIEGENTHALER Emilie |
SUI
|
PIVOT FACTORY RACING | 32 | 00:02:57.593 | ||
8 | 30 | CURD Katy |
GBR
|
29 | 00:02:57.849 | |||
9 | 13 | SALAZAR Mariana |
ESA
|
DORVAL AM | 24 | 00:02:58.096 | ||
10 | 3 | HANNAH Tracey |
AUS
|
POLYGON UR | 30 | 00:02:58.898 | ||
11 | 9 | MILLER Miranda |
CAN
|
SPECIALIZED GRAVITY | 28 | 00:02:59.384 | ||
12 | 10 | CAPPELLARI Carina |
SUI
|
HIAG DATA – NS-BIKES FACTORY RACING | 27 | 00:02:59.959 | ||
13 | 18 | RÜBESAM Sandra |
GER
|
30 | 00:03:02.582 | |||
14 | 17 | WIDMANN Veronika |
ITA
|
FS FUNN | 25 | 00:03:05.117 | ||
15 | 25 | BATTOLLA Eva |
SUI
|
20 | 00:03:12.258 | |||
16 | 26 | SCHWEMMER Kim |
GER
|
25 | 00:03:25.299 |
Junior Men’s results – Downhill World Cup Lošinj, Croatia
Place | Plate # | Racer |
Country
|
Team | Age | Time | ||
1 | 15 | DAPRELA Thibaut |
FRA
|
COMMENCAL / VALLNORD | 17 | 00:02:25.179 | ||
2 | 1 | EDWARDS Kade |
GBR
|
TREK FACTORY RACING DH | 18 | 00:02:26.824 | ||
3 | 10 | A’HERN Kye |
AUS
|
CANYON FACTORY DOWNHILL TEAM | 17 | 00:02:28.651 | ||
4 | 18 | CRUZ Lucas |
CAN
|
17 | 00:02:30.789 | |||
5 | 21 | INIGUEZ Matteo |
FRA
|
17 | 00:02:32.582 | |||
6 | 42 | FORESTA Joseph |
USA
|
GT FACTORY RACING | 17 | 00:02:33.421 | ||
7 | 2 | ROBBIE Sam |
NZL
|
18 | 00:02:34.351 | |||
8 | 26 | KLAUS Janosch |
SUI
|
17 | 00:02:34.525 | |||
9 | 9 | KERR Henry |
GBR
|
PROPAIN DIRT SIXPACK | 18 | 00:02:34.971 | ||
10 | 7 | MAURER Simon |
GER
|
SRAM YOUNG GUNS RACING | 18 | 00:02:36.761 |
Junior Women’s results – Downhill World Cup Lošinj, Croatia
Place | Plate # | Racer |
Country
|
Team | Age | Time | ||
1 | 4 | HÖLL Valentina |
AUT
|
17 | 00:02:50.093 | |||
2 | 3 | GIMENEZ Nastasia |
FRA
|
17 | 00:03:02.614 | |||
3 | 8 | JOHNSET Mille |
NOR
|
17 | 00:03:06.871 | |||
4 | 1 | ZIBASA Paula |
LAT
|
SRAM YOUNG GUNS RACING | 18 | 00:03:07.415 | ||
5 | 7 | NEWKIRK Anna |
USA
|
17 | 00:03:12.217 | |||
6 | 6 | GOZZI Tina |
FRA
|
17 | 00:03:43.082 | |||
7 | 2 | GONCHEVA Viktoria |
BUL
|
18 | 00:03:52.867 | |||
8 | 9 | FAVOINO Carola Lucrezia |
ITA
|
GRAVITALIA SQUADRA CORSE | 17 | 00:04:51.026 | ||
9 | 5 | BERNARD Mathilde |
FRA
|
18 | 00:05:36.841 |